Tub-hoop.



No. 777,183. PATENTED DEC. 13, 1904.

' A. GLAUSING.

TUB HOOP.

APPLICATION FILED APIL15. 1903. no 110192;.

VENT

A TTORNE Y8 NlTlEU S'rrns Patented December 13, 1904.

ATENT FFICE.

TUB-HOOP SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters IPatent No. 777,183, dated December 13; 1904.

Application filed April 15, 1903.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ALBERT CLAUsINe, a ci tizen of the United States, residing at Milwaukee, county of Milwaukee, and State of isconsin, have invented new and useful Improvements in Tub-Hoops, of which the following is a specification. it

My 1nvent1on relates to improvements in tub-hoops.

Heretolore it has been attempted to provide link connections for the ends of tub-hoops which would expand and contract with the swelling and shrinking of the tub; but in all such cases, so far as I am aware, the connecting-links have been formed so as to provide for flection of the material composing the link at substantially a right angle to the line of the strain. The strain is so great, however, that it has been found impractical to provide material of the requisite size, strength, and durability; and the object of this invention is to provide a form of link in which the strain will be exerted to straighten a bend or curve in the side arms of the link, such arms being normally deflected from a straight line between the points of connection, so as to extend at a comparatively slight angle to the line of the strain, whereby expansion is permitted only by straightening the side arms of the link.

In the following description re fercnce is had to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a side view of a tub embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a detail side view of the connected ends of a hoop with dotted lines indicating the position of extreme link expansion. Fig. 3 is a top view of the connected ends of a hoop, showing the tub-staves in section. Fig. 4: is a view of the link.

Like parts are identified by the same reference characters throughout the several views.

1 is the tub, and 2 represents the hoop-bands. The links are of a generally rectangular form, with the sides 3 bent or curved inwardly, as shown,and the end portionsa of the bands bent or doubled around the ends 5 of the links, the bands being preferably doubled inwardly, as shown, where they are held in position by the walls of the tub, making the use of rivets un- The hoop-bands may, however,

necessary.

Serial No, 152,671. (No model.)

be permanently attached to the links at one end and placed upon the market as an article of manu'li'acture, in which case the user adjusts the band to the tub and marks the dimensions and then inserts the free end of the band through the link and doubles it at the point marked. The expansion of the link compensates for any slight inaccuracy and enables the user to drive the hoop into place. Where the links are permanently secured to the hoops at one end and sold in that condition, they are preferably secured by a rivet, as shown at Z) in Fig. 3. The links may be conveniently formed of heavy wire bent into the desired form, with the ends of the wire meeting at a point (Z, covered by the hoop band when the latter is attached. The links are formed of resilient material, and with the described construction they will tend strongly to resume their original form under all conditions. They will therefore expand and contract as the tub swells and shrinks and prevent the latter from collapsing when dry.

While I have designated my invention as a tub-hoop, it will be understood that the term tub is used broadly with reference to any form of cylindrical receptacle such as barrels and cisterns, as well as ordinary tubs.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is---- l. The combination with a hoop, of a resilient link having its ends engaged by the respective ends of the hoop and each of its sides deflected imvardly in a broad open bend of such dimensions that any distention oi, the link will operate to draw all portions of the deflected sidestoward a straight line.

2. The combination with a hoop, of a resilient link having its ends engaged by the respective ends oi. the hoop, and each of its sides del'lected inwardly in a broad. open bend; the length of said sides being greater than the normal distance between the ends of the link to an extent substantially equal to the desired expansion of the hoop.

3. The combination with a hoop, of a resilient link having its ends extending across the end portions of the hoop substantially at right angles thereto and engaged by the end porthe link are moved at right angles to the line of strain during the expansion of the hoop.

In testimony whereof lafifix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

ALBERT CLAUSING.

WVitnesses:

LEVERETT C. WHEELER, JAs. B. ERWIN. 

